Activating A Sense of Identity
Posted on November 16, 2023 by Nora Paxton, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.
How do you get people to take action or invest in your ideas?
Words are all around us. We each use about 16,000 of them a day. Yet we rarely think about which words we use. It turns out that this choice can be pretty important.
Below are some simple strategies you can use to that activate a sense of identity.
• One way to do this is to use nouns instead of verbs. Nouns evoke category labels. It’s the difference between “Rebecca runs” and “Paul is a runner.” Category labels such as “runner” imply a certain permanence. They make us think that a trait is an integral part of someone’s personality. Running seems like a stable part of Paul’s identity, whereas Rebecca simply runs on occasions or when opportunities arise.
That’s why it can help to use nouns to get people to do something good. You may not want to “run” at the moment, but you want to be seen as a “runner.” In 2008, political strategists used this principle to increase voter turnout. Instead of encouraging people to “vote,” campaigns talked about “being a voter.” It worked: voter turnout rose by 15 percent.
• Another way to activate our own sense of identity is to use the word “don’t” instead of “can’t.” When we’re on a diet, for instance, we tend to say things like, “I can’t eat chocolate cake right now, because I’m trying to be healthy.” But this suggests that we actually do want to eat cake – it’s just that some outside force is preventing it. This makes it much harder to resist. So next time you’re trying to change a habit, speak in don’ts: “I don’t eat chocolate cake.” “Don’t” activates our sense of identity, and that makes us feel empowered. It suggests that we’re not trying to be healthy, we are healthy.
Remember words are powerful; Choosing the right word choice can get people to take action, change their minds, or invest in your idea.
Today, I invite you on a journey of activating a strong sense of identity. It will will anchor you into who you are as a person, ensuring you live a life where you feel empowered to take advantage of the opportunities that will benefit you in the best way possible.
Let me know how it goes.
Wishing you continued success and growth.
With gratitude,
Nora Paxton
